1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to perimeter security networks, and in particular, to processing event signals to evaluate threat events.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, many enterprises have become increasingly concerned with the issue of perimeter security. For example, military, municipal, and corporate enterprises desire to secure the perimeters of a wide variety of installations, such as airports, military bases, and corporate campuses.
Typically, perimeter security systems are arranged with multiple sensors arrayed along a boundary and in communication with a central control system. Often times, the sensors are mounted on a barrier, such a fence. In general, the sensors monitor the boundary for event signals, such as vibration and heat signals. Upon sensing an event signal, an alert signal is communicated from the sensors to a central control system.
In one example, the central control system alerts personnel to the occurrence of the event. The personnel are then tasked with investigating the event to evaluate whether or not the event is a security threat. One problem associated with this approach is that dispatching personnel to investigate non-threatening events wastes time and resources.
In a prior art solution to the problem of dispatching personnel to evaluate events, threat evaluation is performed at the central control system. In this manner, personnel will only be dispatched once an accurate threat evaluation has been performed by the central control system. However, threat evaluation processes often times lack accuracy. For example, a single faulty sensor could generate false data, thereby causing the central control system to generate a false alarm. In addition, many modern large scale perimeter security systems include thousands of sensors. In such an environment, the resources required to perform threat evaluation and confirmation are prohibitive.